UK's Sunak wants to ban cigarettes for younger generations (updated)

JAPAN TOBACCO

04/10/2023 12:57

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       MANCHESTER, England, Oct 4 (Reuters) - British Prime
Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday proposed banning younger
generations from buying cigarettes, a move which would give the
UK some of the world's toughest anti-smoking rules.
        The proposals - if they pass into law - would make
Britain the first country in Europe to ban cigarette sales to
younger people. Denmark is considering a similar move.
  
    "A 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a
cigarette," Sunak told the Conservative Party conference of his
proposed new rule.
    Under his anti-smoking plan, Sunak said the smoking age
would be raised by one year every year, meaning a younger
generation could grow up "smoke free", improving the country's
health.
        Sunak also plans to bring forward measures to restrict
the availability of vapes to children.
  
        The proposed measures are similar to those brought in by
New Zealand last year, which became the first country to stop
those born during or after 2009 from legally buying cigarettes.
The ban will take effect in 2027.
  
        Sunak said smoking costs Britain's health services 17
billion pounds ($20.6 billion) a year and cancer deaths could
fall by a quarter if people stopped smoking.
  
        The policy will be damaging for the future sales of
companies that count Britain as a major market, like Japan
Tobacco  2914.T , maker of Camel and Benson & Hedges, and
Imperial Brands  IMB.L , which produces Winston cigarettes and
Golden Virginia rolling tobacco.
  

    ($1 = 0.8247 pounds)
  

 (Reporting by UK bureau, additional reporting by Emma Rumney;
editing by Michael Holden and Sachin Ravikumar)
 ((sarah.young@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 1109; Reuters
Messaging: sarah.young.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))